There are a lot of home-based agencies out there, why should I choose Trip Professionals?

Trip Professionals wants to be your partner in the travel business. Our business is based on your success and thus we will do everything in our power to insure that you reach your professional goals. We do not make unrealistic claims about how you will travel for free the rest of your life, nor do we charge thousands of dollars to purchase a franchise or travel system. Instead we offer a comprehensive sales, training, and marketing package that will allow you to build your own personalized travel company. Whether you are looking to book 5 vacations per year or 5,000 our program can work for you. We offer some of the best commission levels AND the lowest start-up costs in the industry and our support staff is here to work with you. We truly want to be your partner.

In addition to all of the reasons above you should also realize that Trip Professionals is not just a “typical” host agency. In fact, Trip Professionals’ partner company is Cruise Shoppes, North America’s Cruise Consortium. With over 200 member agencies we have the clout and experience to work directly with the cruise lines and suppliers in making sure we get the highest commissions and the best marketing and training support. We have National Account status with our suppliers and thus we can pass on all of the benefits to our Trip Professional agents.

What are the different business opportunities offered by Trip Professionals?

Trip Professionals has three different programs with varying costs and commission levels. These different tiers will provide the right program for your individual needs and goals. If you are looking to make a couple of bookings each year and are looking for travel benefits for yourself than perhaps you will choose our “Affiliate” level. If you are a seasoned travel professional and are looking for a complete home-based opportunity with one of the highest commission shares and one of the best support programs in the industry, you may wish to consider our “Associate” level. Whatever your interest level, Trip Professionals has a program that will allow you to maximize your earning potential, while at the same time minimizing your out of pocket costs.

What type if marketing support does Trip Professionals offer?

When you succeed, we succeed therefore it is in our best interest to provide you with as much marketing support as possible.

• LEADS
• E-Mail
• Direct Mail
• Brochures
• Newsletters

What type of training will I receive?

There are two different training options available to our members. The first is a regularly scheduled training calendar that is conducted via the computer and the Internet. In these one-hour programs we will cover topics ranging from updating your website to booking groups. The calendar will come out on a monthly basis, this calendar is available online and you can choose the classes in which you want to participate. In addition, we offer an initial training session for all of our new members. These classes are held near our Fort Lauderdale headquarters and will cover a variety of topics ranging from “Booking a Cruise” to “Selling Travel to the Luxury Market”. We invite speakers from our top suppliers and provide a tremendous amount of material to allow you and your business to succeed. These programs are offered a couple of times each year and are extremly reasonably for our members. We also will conduct an annual Trip Professionals Sales Meeting which will be an offsite convention where you get the chance to meet other Trip Professionals members and take part in live seminars conducted by the major suppliers and cruise lines. Past seminars have been held on-board cruise ships and in major resort destinations. These meetings are a great resource for networking and for gaining additional product knowledge and sales strategies.

What is included in the technology package?

When you join Trip Professionals you will be able to take advantage of the latest technology in automated bookings. If you enroll in our monthly technology package you will get access to both a cruise booking engine and a vacation booking engine.

As the host agency Trip Professionals will work directly with the suppliers and the booking engine to insure that your site has the latest information and up to the minute pricing and availability.

With Trip Professional’s technology package your website will have all of the functionality and capabilities of the leading websites.

For complete details on our technology offerings call us at 877-TRIP-PRO.

What will my commissions be?

Trip Professionals offers among the highest commissions in the industry and when you enroll with us we immediately start you at the commission levels that matches your enrollment level. If you are at the 80% level than for every $100 in commission that you book you will keep $80.

We pay commissions to our members on the first of each month. All commissions are paid after we receive payment from the supplier and after the guest has traveled.

I just made a booking…what happens to my passenger’s documents?

As a general rule, documents will arrive to us approximately 2-3 weeks prior to the departure of a cruise. If you need documents anytime sooner please be sure to make this request to the supplier and let them know how early you need them. The documents will be sent to us and we in turn will send them to you via trackable US Mail. Because of our relationships with the various suppliers the documents must come to us first. In the event there is a need to get the documents sent directly to the client please let us know and we will work with you to expedite shipping to the appropriate address. Please do not ask the supplier to deviate from the normal procedures since it will only cause a delay in getting you a commission. The commissions are cross-referenced with the documents we receive and if we don’t get the documents we will assume the trip was cancelled or postponed and your commission will be delayed.

Do I have to pay extra to be a member of CLIA, or other travel associations?

No. As a member of Trip Professionals you will have all the benefits that we have already established with the industry associations. Since we are members of CLIA you too will be a member at no additional charge.

Will I get an ID card?

Many other home based agencies entice new members with the promise of a “travel agent card” which will give them free travel and incredible discounts. There is only one card that is recognized and accepted by the travel industry and that is the IATAN card. IATAN regulations state that the only way to get your card is to earn $5,000 or more in commissions in a 12 month period. With Trip Professionals we will give you all the tools and ability to earn your IATAN card in the shortest time possible. After you have made your $5,000 in commissions we will work with you to process the paperwork so that you can receive your card and begin enjoying the benefits associated with being a productive travel counselor.

How do I get started?

After you enroll we will provide you with a complete start-up kit. This kit will include everything you need to do to get your business up and running from a sample design of business card to commission collection forms. In addition we will provide you with basic marketing programs that will allow you to get up and running in the shortest time possible. Whether your first customer is a family member wishing to take a cruise or a church group taking 300 people on a retreat we will outline the steps that need to be taken to coordinate and complete the booking process. We want you to earn your first commission check as quickly as possible and our quick start procedures will allow you to do just that.

Do I need a website?

While you do not need to have a website, we strongly suggest that you take advantage of the technology that we offer to help grow your business. In today’s environment people expect to communicate with you via the Internet. Your personalized website will be this link that consumers have come to expect. Through our technology program you will have the ability to customize your site so that it is a true extension of your business. As for the content, we will continue to maintain all of the content for the suppliers that we work with and add. A website can be a valuable tool that will allow your customers to research their vacation and educate themselves prior to calling you. We will work with you to show you the best way to market your site so that in addition to its research benefits, it can also be a significant revenue producer.

Do I need an Errors and Omission Policy?

Errors and Omission Policies are designed to protect you from errors in printing, advertising, and the booking process. Trip Professionals has our own errors and omissions policy and we will be happy to work with you to get your own policy for additional protection. While E & O insurance is not required by law, we strongly recommend you purchase it to protect yourself from any issues that may occur in the course of running your travel business. The approximate annual cost for an E & O policy is approximately $250-$300 per year, and we will be happy to put you in touch with an agent who can get you enrolled. If you choose not to purchase your own policy all that we ask is that you sign a waiver indicating your decision not to purchase the insurance.

Are there any Tax Benefits to being a home-based agent?

We are not accountants or lawyers, and we STRONGLY suggest that you speak to a professional in this field, but there may be advantages of owning and operating your own home-based travel business. Many items including business cards, phone calls, computers, marketing fees, travel expenses, etc. may be deductible and may allow you to save more $$$ off your tax return. Again, we are not in a position to tell what you can and can’t deduct, but many home-based agents are working with tax professionals to take advantage of every available tax deduction.

What does it cost to join Trip Professionals?

Trip Professionals has a tiered pricing model that ranges from $99 to $299 per year. Monthly technology package fees are additional at $49.00.